MoI contractors warn of protests over unpaid 7bn afs

KABUL (Pajhwok): About 200 construction companies contracted by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Wednesday warned of protests if the ministry didn’t pay them an outstanding amount of seven billion afghanis.

These companies, having membership of the Afghanistan Nawin Union of Construction Companies (ANUCC), said they had executed 314 construction projects for MoI over the past three years, but the ministry had not paid them so far the costs.

Haji Mohammad Dawood Totakhail, head of the union, told a news conference here that the mentioned companies had implemented the projects under contracts with the MoI; but the ministry due to administrative corruption and laziness had not paid them the seven billion afghanis outstanding amount.

“The institutions concerned haven’t responded with a satisfactory answer to contractors and except insulting and threatening.”

He claimed several delegations tasked with resolving the mater had failed in their task after being influenced by some MoI officials.

He said non-provision of the cost to contractors by the government had plunged them into a financial crisis and they weren’t even able to clear their permits.

Totakhail said the mentioned companies wanted President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah to take steps for addressing their issue.

He demanded tasking a neutral delegation with investigation into the companies’ problem, adding the delegation should also identify private construction companies which had committed negligence in their works.

Sayed Jawad Haidari, ANUCC deputy chief, said they had many times shared the issue with the MoI and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) through official channels, but in vain.

He said if the issue wasn’t addressed, the companies would have no option but to stop working on their construction projects in capital Kabul and provinces and would hold protests and pitch sit-in tents near the Presidential Palace and the MoI.

Khan Jan Alokozay, first deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), also spoke on the occasion,

He said the ACCI would defend the rights of the companies and would soon convey their voice to the Presidential Palace and the CEO office.

Alokozay asked the government resolve the issue in a span of one month keeping its promises entrepreneurs and the private sector.

He said continuation of such issues would dishearten the business community and investors.

Abdul Jameel, a spokesman for MoI, denied commenting on the issue for now, saying the authorities of the ministry would discuss the issue in the light of documents next Saturday at a press conference.